Life-preserving apparatus.



APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 9, 1913.

Patented 0ct.13,19 14.

ATTORNEYS THE NORRIS PETERS C0,. PHDTD-LITHOY. WASHINGTON. D. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT. orrion LOUIS DELIA, OF ATLANTIC CITY, NEW JERSEY.

LIFE-PRESERVING APFARATUS.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LOUIS DELIA, a citizen of the United States, residing at Atlantic City, in the county of Atlantic, State of New Jersey, have invented a new and useful Life-Preserving Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

My invention consists of a life preserving apparatus embodying the following features, a water proof garment, a helmet, which is connectible with said garment, and which is provided with means for admitting air to theperson occupying the apparatus, means for discharging water that may enter the helmet, means for preventing a large volume of water that may enter the helmet from flooding the person, meansfor sustaining the helmet on the head of the person, means for widening the upper portion of the garment to readily admit the person thereinto, means for providing an illuminate-r or light for distinguishing purposes especially at night, means for controlling said light by the hand of the occupant of the garment within the sleeve of the latter, and a life preserver adapted to be placed on the body of the person and guarded from improper shifting in upwardly or downwardly direction.

It consists further of details of construction as will be described.

The invention is satisfactorily illustrated in the accompanying drawing, but the important instrumentalities thereof may be varied, and so it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the specific arrangement and organization shown and I described.

Figure 1 represents a perspective view of a life saving apparatus embodying my invention. Fig. 2 represents a vertical section of the upper portion thereof. Fig. 3 represents a plan view of a ring member employed. Fig. 4 represents a horizontal section of said member, the portion of the gar-- ment attached thereto, and the clamping means for the flap of said garment. F ig. 5 represents a top view of the sustaining cap of the apparatus. Fig. 6 represents a side elevation of the upper portion of the garment and parts connected therewith. Fig. 7 represents a rear vlew of the life vpreserver employed, and means for sustaining the Specification of Letters Patent.

It consists of a crown and brim of the conventional form of a hat having within said crown the wall 2 which rises from the base of said crown and extends under the topof the same and is separated therefroniforinmg the chamber3 which is closed at the Patented Oct. 13, 1914..

Application filed September 9, 1913. Serial No. 788,781.

what I term as a helmet of the PP 1 I bottom and in communication with the atf mosphere by the openings or ports 4: in'the side andtop of the crown, said chamber be ing open at the top forming the port 5,

whereby the airentering said chamber may pass from the latter lnto the interior of the.

crown so as to supply the same with the air for use of the person occupying the apparatus.

{On the underside er the top of the wall .2 is the valve 6, which is adapted to close the porto when so required, said valve being suspended on the bolts 7 which pass freely-through said valve and are secured to said wall. interposed-between the valve and the heads of the bolts 7 are the springs 8 whose tendency is to raise the valve and close against the wall 2 around the port 5 as the seat of said valve. In order to open the valve, it is adapted on its upper side to be engaged by the cam or crank member'9,

which is formed with or attached to the rod 10, whose bearings are on the side of thereon, so as to place the cam orcrank member 9 in the positionshown in 2,

it depresses the valve and so removes it from its seat and uncovers the port 5, wherebyv air admitted into the chamber 3, may pass through the wall 2 :of the helmet for the purpose stated above. k 4 11 designate hangers which are secured to and depend from the wall 2 and connected ontheir lower ends withthe annular rim, forming within the helmet a cap which isadapted to be fitted on the" head ofthe person wearing or occupying the appara tus andretained thereon by the straps which have passed under the chin of said person and suitably secured. On the underside of the brim of the helmet is the divisional ring 1 1, he sections of which are ccnnected by the hinge 15, whereby the ring may be opened and closed, for purposes to he hcreina explained. On the underside of the sections of said ring is the flange 16 to which is secured the upper end of the main portion of the neck 17 of the garment 18 employed, it being noticed that said neck divided in front, and extended forward of the ring forming the flap 19 which when the ring is opened separates, thus increasing the width of said neck, providing a greater facility for the limbs and body of the wearer to enter said neck and so occupy the body, legs and arms of the garment,it being noticed that said garment is made of water-proof material, and that when the ring 1 1, and consequently the neck 1'? is closed, water is prevented from entering the garment, attention being directed to the factthat the side members of the flap are brought together and tightly closed between the bars 20, with which are pivoted the clips 21, which are adapted to clasp said bars and so compress the latter against said flap whereby the top of the fiap primarily opened is closed, so that water is prevented from entering said top and filling the garment therewith.

The helmet is placed on the ring 14 and connected therewith by the bolts 22 and cams 23 thereon, the heads of the bolts and the cams bearing respectively against the underside of the flange 16 and the upper side of the brim of the helmet or hat, it being evident that when the cams are properly turned the helmet the ring and flange, and consequently the neck of the garment are firmly connected and held together, and a packing :24 is interposed between said parts and a tight joint is provided which prevents water from passing between said members. Then the cap 12 is rested on the head of the occupant, whereby the helmet is held in place and the garment supported from the helmet.

25 designates lite preserver of the form of a float which is formed of buoyant material adapted to be placed around the body of the occupant of the apparatus and provided with shoulder straps 26 for sustaining the same in position. This is assisted by straps 27 which are connected with the cap 12, and the upper portion of said life preserver 25, so that the latter is prevented from shifting downwardly. Then in order to prevent the upward shifting of said life preserver, it is connected as at 28 with the body belt 29, the latter being worn by the person, the effect of which is evident.

On the front of the neck 17 on opposite sides of the flap 19 are openings covered by transparent material forming the windows 30 which are located in line or adjacent to the eyes of the person within the apparatus, whereby the person may see through said windows so as to guide or direct him in his movement through the water. Secured to the crown of the helmet is the lens bulls eye lantern or head-light 31 which is illuminated by an electric lamp, the latter being in communication with the battery 32 by means of suitable conductors 33, and having connected with it the con ductor 34 which is provided on its lower end with the push-button 35 whereby a current may be supplied to said lamp and thus illummating the light 31, and providing the helmet with a light, a matter of use especially in the darkness of night. The conductor 34 extends from said lamp into the sleeve of the garment to near the lower end thereof or glove thereon, so that said push button 35 is within convenient reach of the hand of the wearer of the garment. The top of the cap is provided with strips or pads 36 to cause the cap to set easy on the head while being subjected to the weight of the helmet, garment and connected parts.

The garment is sufiiciently large to place food and drinking water therein, it being evident that the hands of the person are sufliciently free to reach the same and convey them to the mouth of the person.

The operation is as follows: The helmet is removed from the ring 1% and the latter opened, when the person enters the garment. Then the tlap 19 is closed and secured, and the ring 1 1 also closed and secured by a latch or other suitable means. The helmet is new placed in position on the ring and the cap fitted on the head or the person. The helmet is then clamped to said ring, when the person may enter the water, th apparatus sinking to a safe extent below the windows 80, leaving the legs of the person free to tread the water, and the arms free to guide him in his movements, the garment being filled with air which assists in supplying the person with the same for breathing purposes through the openings 41-, and port 5 in the helmet. Tater that may dash through the top openings 1 will enter the chamber 3 and escape therefrom through the side ports 4. Should the water be rough and there is apparent liability ofits entermg said chamber in a volume or extent whereby it might pass through the port 5 and so flood the neck 17 and reach the nose and mouth of the person and jeopardize the same while also filling the garment, the person can operate the cam 9 whereby it turns from the valve 6 and relieves the valve 6 when the latter under the action of the spring 8 closes on its seat and so prevents the passage of water through said port. The person, however, watches the water through the windows 30 and at proper times, operates the cam to cause the valve to open when the person is further supplied Having thus describedmy invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Let ters Patent, is

1; In a life saving apparatus, a helmet having an air and water intake in a wall thereof, and a chamber within the crown in communication with said intake and the interiorof said crown, said intake being also adapted as a discharge for the water vadmitted into said chamber.

2. In a life saving apparatus, a helmet having a chamber within the same, an air intake in the wall of said helmet in communication with said chamber, and a port in said chamber forming a communication for the latter with the interior of said helmet.

3. In a life saving apparatus, a" helmet having a chamber within the same, an air and water intake in a wall of said helmet in communication with said chamber, a port in said chamber forming a communicationfor the latter with the interior of said helmet, and a valve in the helmet adapted to open and close said port.

4. In a life saving apparatus, a helmet having a chamber within the same, an air and water intake in a wall of said helmet in communication with said chamber, a port in said chamber forming a communication for the latter with the interior of said helmet, a valve in the helmet adapted to open and close said port, and means on the helmet for operating said valve in opposite directions.

5. In a life saving apparatus, a helmet having an air and water receiving chamber therein, a port in said chamber adapted to form a communication between the. latter and the interior of the helmet, a cam member in the helmet adapted to bear against one face of said valve, a resilient member in the helmet adapted to bear against the other face of said valve, and means for supporting said members. I I e 6. In a life saving apparatus, a helmet, a divided ring adapted to be fitted on the brim of said helmet, a water tight garment adapted to be suspended from said ring and connected. therewith, and means for clamping said ring to sald brim.

7. In a life savlng apparatus, a helmet, a

divided ring adapted to be connected with i. said helmet, a garment adapted to be connected with said ring, theneck portion of said garment having an expansible flap on nected, a battery, an electric conductor eX-,

tending from said battery to said light, said light being in the electric circuit, an electric conductor extending from said light, the sleeve of said garment containing the same, and meanson the lower'terminal of the latter named conductor within reach of the hand of the occupant of the garment when the latter is on the body for turning on and cutting off the current to and from said light.

9. In a life preservingapparatus, a helmet, a life preserver proper adapted to be fitted on the body of the occupant, a cap in said helmetadapted to be rested on the head of the occupant of said apparatus, means connecting said cap with said life preserver for preventing downward displacement of said life preserver proper, a body belt, and means connecting the said belt with said life preserver proper for preventing upward displacement of the latter.

, LOUIS DELIA.

Witnesses HARRY- R. YOUNG, [1 s] R. M. DARRAOH. [L. s]

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

' Washington, .D. C. 

